A Singapore importer of electric scooters and accessories was sentenced by the State Courts on for the fraudulent evasion of Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Tan Ting Sin, 29, was fined $96,667.45 for submitting fake invoices with the import declarations to Singapore Customs.

Between August 2014 and April 2015, Tan, the sole proprietor of PassionKites, imported electric scooters and accessories from China on 48 occasions. He under-declared the import values of the goods, resulting in a shortfall of more than $81,000 in GST payments. Tan pleaded guilty to 15 charges. Another 33 charges were taken into consideration in the sentencing.

In another similar case of fraudulent evasion of GST, Ku Jin Hao, 28, was sentenced by the State Courts on September 9 to a fine of $156,000 for under-declaring the values of the pool tables, cameras and camera accessories he imported from Hong Kong, Japan and China on 49 occasions.

Investigations by Singapore Customs revealed that Ku, the director of Twelvebox Enterprise, had instructed his suppliers to create fake invoices which indicate a lower value of the goods imported. These fake invoices were subsequently submitted with the import declarations to Singapore Customs. The under-declaration of the import values of the goods resulted in a shortfall of more than $42,500 in GST payment. Ku pleaded guilty to 16 charges. Another 33 charges were taken into consideration in the sentencing.

“Fraudulent evasion of GST is a serious offence under the Customs Act,” said Mr Wan Boon Oon, head of trade investigation branch, Singapore Customs.

“Anyone found guilty will be liable to a fine up to 20 times the amount of tax evaded, jailed for up to two years, or both.”

“We urge traders who have discovered errors and omissions in their past declarations to Singapore Customs to voluntarily come forward and disclose their mistakes,” said Wan.